How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
"I realize that my humble home isn't as fancy as the Baudelaire mansion," Count Olaf said, "but perhaps with a bit of your money we could fix it up a little nicer."
Mr. Poe's eyes widened in surprise, and his coughs echoed in the dark room before he spoke. "The Baudelaire fortune," he said sternly, "will not be used for such matters. In fact, it will not be used at all, until Violet is of age." (2.42-43)
And here's our first hint that Count Olaf is nothing more than a greedy villain. He's clearly only agreed to adopt these orphans so he can get his hands on their money. Yeah, this does not look good for the Baudelaires…
Quote #2
"You know perfectly well we haven't any money," Klaus said.
"Of course you do," Count Olaf said, and his voice began to get a little louder. "You are the inheritors of an enormous fortune."
"That money," Klaus said, remembering what Mr. Poe said, "is not to be used until Violet is of age." (4.43-45)
Klaus is channeling Mr. Poe here when he stands up to Count Olaf. But unlike Mr. Poe, Count Olaf can give Klaus a good smack for denying him the cash he so desperately wants.
Quote #3
"If I know you, Olaf," said the man with the hook-hands, "you'll figure out a way to get at that Baudelaire money."
"We'll see," Count Olaf said, but his eyes were shining bright as if he already had an idea. (4.48-49)
Of course he will—it's pretty much the only thing he's doing right now. Aside from putting on terrible plays, that is.
Quote #4
"Whatever Count Olaf has done," Mr. Poe said, glancing down at one of his papers and circling a number, "he has acted in loco parentis, and there's nothing I can do about it. Your money will be well protected by myself and by the bank, but Count Olaf's parenting techniques are his own business. Now, I hate to usher you out posthaste, but I have very much work to do." (5.41)
Well, Mr. Poe has his priorities straight. Sure, Count Olaf is a selfish villain, incapable of raising three orphaned children, but of course, the money will be safe in his bank. Yes, that's the important thing… Not.
Quote #5
"I wish we knew something more about inheritance law," Klaus said. "I'll bet Count Olaf has cooked up some plan to get our money, but I don't know what it could be." (6.37)
Klaus is pretty clever here. How can Count Olaf steal their money just by putting them in a play? He can't do that… Can he?
Quote #6
Books about the law are notorious for being very long, very dull, and very difficult to read. This is one reason many lawyers make heaps of money. The money is an incentive—the word "incentive" here means "an offered reward to persuade you to do something you don't want to do"— to read long, dull, and difficult books.
The Baudelaire children had a slightly different incentive for reading these books, of course. Their incentive was not heaps of money, but preventing Count Olaf from doing something horrible to them in order to get heaps of money. (7.1-2)
It's obvious the Baudelaire children don't much care about their parents' fortune. They don't need money to make them happy, but they do need to stay alive.
Quote #7
"Listen to me very carefully, little boy," he said, breathing out foul steam with every word. "The only reason Count Olaf hasn't torn you limb from limb is that he hasn't gotten hold of your money. He allows you to live while he works out his plans. But ask yourself this, you little bookworm: What reason will he have to keep you alive after he has your money? What do you think will happen to you then?" (7.36)
The hook-handed man makes a pretty good argument here. Olaf is only barely tolerating the orphans now and he doesn't even have their fortune yet, so how is he going to treat them after he's fulfilled his covetous schemes?
Quote #8
Klaus turned to a different section of Nuptial Law. "A legal husband," he read out loud, "has the right to control any money in the possession of his legal wife." Klaus gazed at Count Olaf in triumph. "You're going to marry my sister to gain control of the Baudelaire fortune! Or at least, that's what you planned to do. But when I show this information to Mr. Poe, your play will not be performed, and you will go to jail!" (8.17)
And here's the plan. Why do we get the feeling that Count Olaf might not have figured this out on his own? Did Klaus just give this greedy villain the key to seizing control of their money? Oops. We'll call it a rookie mistake.
Quote #9
"I'm afraid, however," Count Olaf said, "that it is legally binding. Tomorrow, Mr. Poe, I shall come down to the bank and withdraw the complete Baudelaire fortune."
Mr. Poe opened his mouth as if to say something, but began to cough instead. For several seconds he coughed into a handkerchief while everyone waited for him to speak. "I won't allow it," Mr. Poe finally gasped, wiping his mouth. "I absolutely will not allow it."
"I'm afraid you have to," Count Olaf replied. (13.18-20)
What's funny is that Mr. Poe is perfectly prepared to allow Violet to go home as Count Olaf's wife, but not to release her money to him. Again, this banker really knows what's important in life.
Quote #10
"I'll get my hands on your fortune if it's the last thing I do," the voice hissed. "And when I have it, I'll kill you and your siblings with my own two hands." (13.60)
The Baudelaire fortune has become a bit of a MacGuffin for this series. Count Olaf will keep coming back to get the children's money. Why does he want it? How will he get it? Those are questions for another day. Today, a villain needs motivation.